Arch support



G. D. HORNING ARCH SUPPORT Jan. 24, 1933.

Filed. Aug. 2^

I a woz 140,11

' Gear-Gel). Vor/ms) Patented Jan. 24, 1933 GEORGE' D. Hermine, or W'AsHINGroN nrs'rn'rcror coLUiiiIAl Anon' sUPPoi-ir Appiicvatin iea 'giiseze, 1527". seiialu iid. 515,679. f: Y Y gg;

This ,invention ,relates to arch' suppra The purposeV of the invention is 4to provide means for the prevention', relief or correction `of mechanical defects in the front, anterior,

5 or metatarsal archof'thehunian foot. V v`I-Ieretof'ore a large number of ydevices' for the purpose have been' proposed, but they,

are objectionable.because of excessive cost, because of not being readily adaptable for use under different and changing positions* and conditions of the defects, to be treated or relieved, because of the impossibility of perma'ently-` retaining Vthem in required posif tions, and for numerous other reasons. For instance, the entire sole of a' shoe vhas in many instances been constructed with a` view to'furnis'hing al support or supports for de? feetive partsfof the foot.l When this done a very considerable expense is involved, and

ofcourse each sole so Amade is" formed to give worn or depressed, they lose their eectiveness and are liable to annoying displacement.

l In somesupportsfan inner sole of leather o'r other'ie'xible material covering thevvhole or apart of the outer soleof the.shoe,`has 40 been provided on its'lower face with a protuberance', with the intention of 'having this protubera'nce, by indentingtheinner sole or otherwise effecting Iits shape or heightr in parts 'to form' on the upper face ofthe inner "15 sole asupporting projection.v form supportfails' of its purpose-` because, ob'vi;l ously, 'the' upper face of theinn'erL sole"` can not by this-means be given the definite, clear cut shapewhich is required. In other sup- 5o ports, rigidfpures for bodiesV O15/meen' einer diferen shpeisxhave dtahabl'y .See cured tof inner', face, ofj'the sole of a' shoe; In this Spprtnemas crea-dm very larg' number of the metallic plates orfbodies, varying Widelyin heightnand 4shajgief mustl ns'sfarly beoirharrdi.rdrsveharirexif mately toy b""'abl ey to'i'tall the parts of feet presented; vforjreliejf ontreatinent. ,i

Many Vother ideas are' involved in devices which have lheretofore been produced for relief 9,1. Clfr Ofig'elerlelorsncifc defclts'llf theV foot; of" thel character' hereinbeforerel fe'rreid tos bitlnne of ihems@ far, Yalsjfzfnfi aivare, are/ free from objections as serious as those recited regard Ito feriri's which have been'speciiicallyl mentioned.

l' The support' which I have 'devSQ is of aror'm insures against displacement Wheriattached position `for usefaords means'vvh'erebythe pertion ofaffootto be s fupl tofbe secured in', a lshoe" to w ilchiit isapplied',

uff

port attached to a base or holdingV means, the upper portion thereof being broken awayto show the filling of the support.

Figurel 3 is a plan view of a supportvof a construction, and provided with such adjunctsas to permit the ready attachment to, and detachment of the support from its base.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional viewy of the l l Y heel of the shoe to a point beneath the ball .of the foot of a user, as shown in Figure 7.

support, etc., shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is ak plan view of a support of 'a somewhat modiied'construction, and havingj integral attaching means for securing it to a base. Y Y Y c Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of the support show n in Figure.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a modiiied form yofinner sole or base, adapted forv the attachn ment thereto ofa'supporting proj ectionjf support. e'

` Figure Sis a plan view Voi modified form of Z'Ihejsupport which is intended to 'contact l with the-Ksole'of the footof af user is prefer-` Y ably in the general form of a pocket orreceptacle to receive material by which the size `and shape of'thesupport'may be determinedor changed at-willgv The upper face l of the pocket or Vreceptacle which inuse comes into suy contact withvthe foot of theuser may be of any suitable material, such as thin leather, fabric, libre ormetaI, and it is essential that it be `liexible or yielding, enabling it to'be readily raised, lowered or so shaped by the Y introduction or removal of a iillinginto or out upper Vfam, 1 O f thepocket or-receptacle is Vof the pocket to impart the required shape` and height tothe pocket or receptacleyThe securedby sewing or otherwise to the yupper `exposed surface of a base 2, whichrmay be, as

herein shown, laninner sole, In this form receptacle. L Y s Y The required 'height amish-peor um Ripper' e'zqosed face of the pocket or receptacleare imparted by introducingY intoit afilling 3 of' any7 material suitable for the purposefg'lhe preferred yfilling consists of strips or layers of material which is fofa nature to retainits shape when subjected to the weight imposed by the foot of a user. In'practice one ori more strips or'layers of leather, rubber, felt,clo,th,

i j' Vmetal, fibre or Vthe like, of lengths andl shapes suitable for giving the requiredhelght and i y i of the pocket orreceptacle andthe illingis il Y shape to the upperrface lof the pocket or re ceptacle, have proved satisfactory. i

The support vconsisting of 'thejupper face i' attached to a Vsuitable i base 4or yholding means, and herein HI have shown. an innerv sole`2 for receiving andretaining thesup port. The inner y sole which Vmay; be of leather, felt, fibre orother suitableniaterial,

,- is preferably of a sizeV and shapeVto/entirely cover and iit accurately'to the sole of the shoe in whichrit is used, in order thatV when the support is -attached'the position of the latter may be securely maintained. If neces- Instead of making the base orinner sole of a size to cover the ventire sole of the shoe, it A maybe of a length to extend only from the The construction ofitheipocket or receptacle may be such as to permit of its being Veither permanently ory detachably-secured to its base.Y In the form shown in Figures 3, 4,

"5 and 6k of thed'rawing 'the bottom of the pocket or receptzwlel is formed apiece-of materiale to which the covering portion'l is attached, and the bottom' 5 projectsbeyond such covering portion forming al flange,

' In securing a. Esupport of this form to, abase 'i' 2, such as an inner sole, anysuitable 'attaching means by whichthe support maybe either permanentlyV or detachably vsecured maybe employed. Y Y

In the attaching means shown *in Figure 3, the flange of the bottom portion 5 ofthe support may be of leather, fabric, or some more rigid material, and is providedwitha series oi' openings 6 extending through itg", In fse` curing in placev a support having'a-ybottomV portion ofthis form, staples or'similar Airas-V f teners 7 are introduced through the open'- ings 6l in the Harige 4and through.' the base to which the support is attached, and the kends .8 of the staples are bent to lie along theflower yface of the baseandthus to secure the support yin place. This formloi 'attachf ing means allowsrof the easydetachment of vthe support; from itsbase,.for 4thegpurpose of changing'its position, if desired, Another rform of support and attaching means which Y allows of rapid attachmentfand detachment of thesupport, to and from vits baise, 1isshown in "Figuresf and VV6. of the drawing, Y In this 7 form the bottomportion optliepocketl or receptacle is composed of;y metal,lxpreferably thi-n and flexible and of a'nonlcorrosive char@ 'l acter..j The iiange portion of the metal bot-A ftom has stamped or otherwise cut in ita series of tongues), preferably oftaper4 form, L

which may be turned ata right angle tothe ange passed through they base 2, and then e bent `to lie along theV under'face offthefbase. For general purposeswhere th-eflocation of the defect ,to be treated may accurately be determined, the pocket or receptacle maybe formed of aisinglepieceof material, and be attached to the base bysewingyas shown in Figure 2 of the drawing.` i If sewing is employed, the thread used is preferably dis,- posed as shown, thus allowing it tobe easily pulled outor cut, to facilitate ready detachy ment of the pocketfor receptacle.Y j

Onev side of the pocket; orfreceptacle preferably left Open. 50 Permit of thejready introduction or removal of the filling. This opening may be in the front or rear of the pocket or receptacle, or at the side thereof,

A as shown in Figure 8 of the drawing.

From the foregoing it will be clear that the pocket or receptacle may be secured either permanently to its base, when the por-y tion of the foot when the defect or ailment to be treated is determined, or detachably, when experimenting as to the location of the trouble is necessary or desirable. Further, by reason of the ease with which the height and shape of the support formed by the pock-V et or receptacle may be changed by adding to, taking from, or changing the shape of the filling of the pocket or receptacle, it will be obvious that the support or relief of any affected part of a foot may be provided for.

In. the production of the described support two objects of importance are attained. The article is very cheap in cost, so that a new one may be substituted for one becoming worn at trifling expense, and, inasmuch v as a user may readily adapt the height and shape of the support to his foot by removing, introducing or changing the form of the filling of the pocket or receptacle,l the expense of expert service is entirely dispensed with.

I claim:

l. A support of the kind described, comprising a base, a pocket, means for detachably securing the pocket to the upper surface of the base, and an insertable and removable filling for the pocket.

2. A. support of the kind described, comprising a base, a pocket, means for detachably securing the pocket to the upper face of the base, and a filling for the pocket consisting of insertable and removable strips of material capable of retaining their shape under pressure arranged in the pocket.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature;

GEORGE D. HORNING. 

